9-euro ticket: price shock could limit the desired "sticky effect" in public transport
Created: 05/19/2022, 05:14
By: Yasina Hipp
For just nine euros, you can take the train for a whole month across the country.
The federal discount campaign sounds good, but what about the prices for train travel afterwards?
Munich – In a few days, the 9-euro ticket could already be available nationwide.
However, that is not yet certain.
Because: Federal states such as Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg want to put themselves across the vote in the Bundesrat because of the planned financing.
Bavaria's Transport Minister Christian Bernreiter (CSU) even describes the ticket as a "three-month consolation" and "flash in the pan" by the federal government.
So before the 9-euro ticket can be approved by the Federal Council, it seems as if some minds have to be appeased.
The discount campaign, which was actually intended as advertising for local public transport, could possibly backfire quite a bit.
9-euro ticket: In the ideal case, there should be a “sticky effect”.
In view of rising energy costs, the journey to the gas station is becoming more and more uncomfortable for many.
That is why people who have previously preferred the car should be convinced of public transport by the cheap ticket.
If everything runs optimally, there should be a so-called "sticking effect" after the 9-euro phase, as Jan Schilling, Managing Director of the Association of Transport Companies (VDV) reports to
Welt
.
The decisive factor will therefore be how many people will continue to “stick” to public transport after August and continue to use buses and trains.
The VDV expects almost 30 million people to use the 9-euro ticket every month.
As many of them as possible should also do without their car afterwards.
The 9-euro ticket is intended to lure people from their cars onto buses and trains in the long term.
© picture alliance/dpa/Henning Kaiser
However, one factor in particular could significantly minimize the sticking effect: According to experts, after August there could not only be a return to the old public transport prices, but even a sharp price increase.
Jan Schilling thinks that transport companies, such as Deutsche Bahn, are also affected by rising energy prices and would normally therefore increase prices now.
Due to the 9-euro ticket, this increase will be postponed to September and could therefore hit many new rail passengers with full force.
A 9-euro ticket will cost the federal government around 2.5 billion – a rush to popular routes is possible
So far, the federal government has promised to cover the estimated costs of 2.5 billion euros through loss of income.
However, if it ends up being more than 2.5 billion euros, it is not clear who will bear these costs.
VDV Managing Director Jan Schilling emphasizes the "prognosis risk" of the cost estimates, which the federal government must also take into account.
In addition to the financing, Schilling sees another danger: overcrowded trains on popular routes.
Due to the short lead time, it was not possible for transport companies to prepare properly for the possible rush and, if necessary, to use more trains and buses.
In addition, more cleaning and maintenance work would have to be carried out, for which there is a lack of personnel and money.
